pessimistic
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
See cynical.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pessimistic
Explanation
Pessimistic describes the state of mind of someone who always expects the worst. A pessimistic attitude isn't very hopeful, shows little optimism, and can be a downer for everyone else. To be pessimistic means you believe evil outweighs the good and that bad things are more likely to happen. So pessimistic people are usually pretty negative. And kind of a bummer to be around. Think of Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's perpetually gloomy friend. The word comes to us, not surprisingly, from the Latin pessimus — meaning "worst."
Vocabulary lists containing pessimistic
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hutchins is pessimistic about staving off the ban and laments what it would mean for the city's famed French restaurants.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Next, Sam Sankar of the environmental-law organization Earthjustice explains why SCOTUS’ longstanding skepticism towards the environment does not make him as pessimistic as one might expect.
From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026
CVL was pessimistic about the local economic impacts of the merger, which it said would place 4,495 direct film and television job-years at risk between 2027 and 2030.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is less pessimistic, forecasting global oil-demand growth of around 400,000 barrels a day this year, while expecting growth to accelerate to roughly 2.4 million barrels a day in 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
But Winnie is a determined person, and I suspect my pessimistic reaction only strengthened her resolve.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
